This silence-still, sun-bright, blue-sky, scudding-cloud, dappled-forest, dripping-leaved, clattering-chestnuts, wet-roads, reflecting-gutters, swimming-sward, morning had turned overcast by the time we emerged, brunch-sated, from Lakeview Café on our return home.
Sun-flecked tarmac and tree trunks along wet-bracken-flanked Holmsley Passage heard whispering, dripping, earthbound leaves carpeting the forest floor alongside emerging mushrooms and bouncing sweet chestnut shells bursting with fruit.
With golfing apparently rained off, a group of ponies tended the lush greens of Burley golf course.
On the opposite side of the road a solitary pony worked over the outfield beside a cluster of further mushrooms.
Leaves slowly drifted into the reflecting verges of Forest Road;
on the sunny side of which a curly haired grazing foal cast its shadow;
further along a trio of darker equines suddenly decided to cross to the other side.
This evening we all dined on Jackie’s wholesome chicken and vegetable stewp with fresh crusty baguettes followed by orange trifle, with which she drank more of the Zesty and I drank more of the Côtes du Rhône.
Very beautiful photos today, Derrick! I’m glad the sun came out to play for a bit. That first photo had me wondering what I am looking at!
Yes! I thought it was going to be a sheep.
Me too!
I’m pleased, John. Thank you very much
You are welcome!
Look at that curly hair!!! Your photos are full of texture today, Derrick!
Thank you very much, Luanne
I love the curly haired foal
Thank you very much, Mimi
You are downright poetic with this post, Derrick. Dinner sounds delightful. Surprised you had the bandwidth for that delicious stewp.
Thank you very much, Pat
Do you know what causes the curly hair on the horse? (If I’ve asked you that previously and forgotten your answer, I apologize.)
I think it was the rain, Liz. I don’t think you have asked before 🙂
Thanks, Derrick. 😀
Curly hair?! That’s a new one for me. Love the country lanes.
Thanks very much, VJ. We think it must have been the effect of the rain
Interesting. You’re welcome
It looks like a not-to-bad a day you have had.
Yep. Thanks very much, Chrissy
Wonderful title…beautiful autumn photos…poetic words… 🙂
Oh, my, what beautiful curls on that little foal! Looks like all of the ponies are having a good hair day! 🙂
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
PS…”Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.” – Stanley Horowitz
Thank you very much, Carolyn. A very apt quotation. X
The hair amazes me. When we give Cinch a bath his hair looks like that.
Fascinating, Andy. Thank you very much
You’re welcome.
I thank you for the dramatic black-and-white photo and the elaborately crafted language of the first paragraph. The rest of the photos are equally delightful, especially the curly head image.
Thank you very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
I envy your horse encounter because I truly love them whatever their size. Years back, we had full sized ones and then we had minis. Loved them all. 🙂
Thank you very much, Judy
My goodness, you are in fine form today. Poetry from top to bottom. xo
Thank you so much, Jodie
The image of the foal is lovely. My hair looks exactly like the foal’s when it get wet.
Joshua and I were up far too early again. So, we also went out to eat.
We were seated in Hawthorne Farm (down the road next to the airport) at 8:00 am ready to enjoy our buffet breakfast, and it was worth it!
Excellent. I expect I will see it in due course. Thanks very much
A splendidly vigorous opening to this post.
Thank you very much, Tootlepedal
Thanks for the great array of photos Derrick …for some abstract reason, all your ‘Bracken’ photos caught my attention today …
hank you very much, Ivor
Atmospheric black and white image, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Suzanne. It was not converted
I can feel the dampness. Not my kind of weather to be outdoors. What beautiful curls!
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
Your words and photos paint a very peaceful picture here. I especially love the curly haired grazing foal.
Thank you very much, Donna
What vibrant photos and a fun read! I suspected the header photo was a pony by the color and shape of the body. When I was much younger, my hair would sometimes curl up almost like that, especially in high humidity or drizzle. The shorter, the curlier.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. I wondered whether rain was the reason
That is a beautiful wet, curly coat on that pony! A day both wet and sun dappled. I enjoyed the autumn scenery.
Thank you very much, Lavinia
It’s nice to see that Dylan Thomas can still make a living, writing first paragraphs for blog posts, Derrick!
Just joking, of course. My favourite bits of Thomas’ work were always those composite words he used to invent.
I take it as a compliment, John. Thanks very much
Such beautiful photos, and you outdid yourself with alliterative words and sounds in your prose.
That curly hair is remarkable. I like the trio of dark ponies, too.
Thank you very much, Merril
Good to see you back in action!
Thanks very much GP
The header image had me stymied. Beautiful photos and I’ve never seen a curly haired horse til now.
Thanks very much, Eugi
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Your stunning photos tell a poetic story, Derrick. Sun, rain, droplets, rays; the whole lot make for total beauty!
Thank you so much, Dale
My pleasure, Derrick.
Such a pretty drive through nature. Chattering chestnuts? Love it!
Thank you very much, Steve
Lovely captures, Derrick. We had a week of sunshine and beautiful autumn days but from yesterday evening it’s raining again. Sigh!
Thank you very much, Rupali
Wonderful photographs again Derrick
Thanks very much, Gary.
Beautiful.
Thank you very much, Alys
Another kind of golf players 🙂
🙂 Yes, Ribana. Thanks very much
Very poetic and very wintery Derrick
Thank you very much, Sheree
These ponies belong to somebody or they are just wanderers? The clouded skies are so beautifully captured in your lens. Again some of the pics are invisible. Why? I wonder whether it is the app’s fault or my mobile’s.
I am sorry you are having trouble seeing pics. The ponies all belong to someone, but spend their lives free in the forest. https://www.newforestliving.co.uk/guides/new-forest-ponies